VR Mask Integrating Air Flow and Vibration for Multi-Sensory Immersion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional portable virtual reality systems only appeal to two human senses, sight and hearing, limiting the user's experience and failing to provide enhanced sensory effects such as touch, smell, and temperature fluctuations, which are essential for a more immersive experience.
Innovation Solution
A virtual reality system comprising a mask or helmet integrated with standard VR goggles that uses embedded markers in video or game content to trigger sensory events like air flow, vibrations, and smells, communicated via wireless channels from a mobile device or PC, utilizing proprietary software to control sensory modules for a more comprehensive sensory experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional portable virtual reality devices are used, then the device portability is maintained, but only two human senses (sight and hearing) are affected, limiting the virtual experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensory modules (air flow generators, vibration motors, liquid crystal displays, speakers) into an integrated mask assembly that works with VR goggles, creating a unified multi-sensory virtual reality system that engages sight, hearing, touch, and temperature senses simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The mask assembly serves multiple functions: it generates air flow for cooling/warming, produces vibrations for tactile feedback, displays visual information via LCD, and emits audio through speakers, making a single device capable of engaging multiple human senses beyond just visual and auditory
2Adaptability or versatility
If mechanical simulators are used to create sensation of movement and vibration, then the sensory experience is enhanced, but the device size becomes large and cannot be used at home by individual users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces large mechanical simulators with smaller electronic components including vibration motors for tactile feedback, air flow generators for cooling/warming effects, and liquid crystal displays for visual stimulation, achieving similar sensory effects in a compact, portable form factor suitable for home use
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses controllable parameters such as air flow rate, vibration frequency, LCD brightness, and audio volume to create varied sensory effects, allowing the same compact hardware to produce different tactile and environmental sensations without requiring multiple physical devices
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively engages multiple human senses beyond visual and auditory, creating a more immersive and realistic virtual reality experience by incorporating tactile, olfactory, and thermoceptive stimuli, enhancing the overall user experience during video playback or gaming.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel coupled to the inner surface of the mask body opposite the user's face for rendering visual content to the user
Implementation Method 2
a vibration motor coupled to the outer surface of the mask body for generating vibrations
Implementation Method 3
an air flow generator coupled to the outer surface of the mask body for generating a stream of air flowing toward the user's face
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual reality (VR) system is implemented as a “feel-real” mask attached to standard VR goggles or as a helmet having an integrated feel-real mask and 3-D goggles. A video stream or a video game is rendered to a user via the 3-D goggles from a mobile device or from a PC over a wireless communication channel. The video stream or the video game code has a plurality of inserted markers indicating feel-real sensory events corresponding to the content of the video or the video game. A feel-real player reads the markers and triggers the events, including a stream of warm or cold air, a water mist (or a spray), vibrations and various smells. Thus, the VR system appeals to different user senses apart from traditional ophthalmoception and audioception (i.e., audio and visual) senses and creates enhanced virtual user experience while watching a movie or playing a game.